Dental Fads To Avoid

Some critics claim that fluoride disturbs hormones, fostering chronic health problems like dementia and diabetes. This concern has resulted in a surge of fluoride-free kinds of toothpaste. Similar to anti-vaxxers, these individuals are putting themselves at risk.

Fluoride in toothpaste is the key component to preventing tooth decay, and without it, our teeth are more vulnerable to cavity-forming acids. Studies have shown that the small amount of fluoride toothpaste used in a day is of great benefit to our oral health and causes no harmful side effects to our general wellness.

Tooth Bling

The world of fashion is ever changing and these dynamics apply to dentistry. Tooth jewelry is seen as a less ostentatious, less expensive and less intrusive way to sparkle when you smile. It isn’t a new concept: Ancient Mayans once used more invasive techniques, drilling into teeth to insert gems. More recently, tooth jewels have become popular in Europe, Japan and Brazil.

“It’s basically the same process as a colored tooth filling,” said Linau, who was a dental hygienist in Germany before settling in Santa Barbara in 1999. “Every dentist can do it within five to 10 minutes.”

“I don’t think I would get involved in that sort of thing,” said Colorado Springs, Colo., dentist Debbie Roubal. “It doesn’t sound like the safest thing to do.”

If left on for too long, they can cause permanent discoloration and wear away at your enamel.

Charcoal

Charcoal is popping up everywhere! In powders, toothpaste, mouthwash and more. In the past few years, using activated charcoal to whiten teeth has become common. Don’t fall for this fad! Even if charcoal succeeds in making your teeth seem slightly whiter, it does so because of its abrasiveness, which can end up hurting your teeth much more than it will help.

After all, tooth enamel can’t grow back once it’s been lost. it’s simple: less enamel, less protection. Less protection, more risk for yellowing and staining. So by using charcoal to clean your teeth you’re actually speeding up the aging process, making your problems problem worse in the long run. The problems don’t stop at merely yellowing, either. Since you’re grinding away your enamel, your teeth are incredibly susceptible to decay, cavities, and all sorts of other nasty problems.